The first ever draw between the Blues and the Chiefs and it's probably the worst result possible in every fashion. It doesn't help the Blues' miniscule chances of making the finals nor does it help the Chiefs' chances of securing a top wildcard place. And after 80 minutes of gritty, hard fought rugby in the wet, the fans probably wanted a winner as well. But, that's rugby and it happens. The Chiefs will be annoyed their hands let them down in crucial moments tonight despite two superb tries while the Blues will rue yet another late, close lead going begging.

80min: BLU 16-16 CHI

The Chiefs knock it on as they come off the top to the backline and the Blues get a scrum just before the fulltime hooter!

79min: BLU 16-16 CHI

Chiefs likely have one last chance with a lineout just outside the Blues' 22m after a great kick from McKenzie pegs the Blues in their half and they have no choice but to kick for touch.

77min: BLU 16-16 CHI

The Blues rumble into the Chiefs' 22m but they knock it on! Pretty much summarises their season. So close but so far.

75min: BLU 16-16 CHI

Blues with a lineout inside the Chiefs half after they get a penalty for the Chiefs not letting go at the breakdown. Can the Blues finally shake the label of terrible closers and score here?

72min: BLU 16-16 CHI

FRANCIS MISSES A PENALTY! It's 35m out to the left and he hooks it right! The Chiefs were penalised for offisde and holding their breath but they watch the ball sail wide and breathe a sigh of relief! Still tied up with 8 to go!

67min: BLU 16-16 CHI

CHI TRY! WHAT. A. TRY! Fa'auli gets credited with the try but that is a full team effort! Cane turns the ball over at a breakdown inside the Chiefs 22m, they spring a counterattack with the ball going to Lowe. Lowe looks to clear, it's charged down so Lowe recovers it, gets into open space, finds Messam who goes into contact and sets it up on halfway. Kerr-Barlow quickly recycles to Cruden who crosskicks it to Fau'auli on the right wing and it sits up perfectly for him as he runs it in 30m. CRUDEN MISSES THE CONVERSION! 12 to go, all tied up!

64min: BLU 16-11 CHI

Retallick not impressed with the ref after he rules a knock-down a knock on instead which gives the Blues a scrum on the Chiefs' 10m.

61min: BLU 16-11 CHI

Chiefs with a scrum on their 10m after Collins puts one high and he can't retain the ball as it comes back down - that and he may have tried to milk a penalty after diving from a small collision from Kerr-Barlow.

58min: BLU 16-11 CHI

Clever play from McKenzie has defused some good pressure from the Blues. The ball is grubbered through and out inside the Chiefs' 5m and McKenzie has it. Rieko Ioane is standing there making sure he can't play it quickly so McKenzie passes it to him and as a result gets a short arm penalty because Ioane stopped the ball going the full 5m!.

55min: BLU 16-11 CHI

Chiefs are pinged again as Laulala is penalised for not rolling away. Francis gets a wobbly kick over the sideline and it's a Blues lineout on the Chiefs' 10m.

53min: BLU 16-11 CHI

CHI THREE! Cruden closes it up again from in front after the Blues are pinged at their scrum for collapsing it under intense pressure from the Chiefs' forward pack.

50min: BLU 16-8 CHI

More handling errors and more scrums. Both teams still looking to play the expansive style they love to score with but hands are really killing any momentum they can get. Blues with a scrum in the middle of the field near their 10m.

47min: BLU 16-8 CHI

Blues get a scrum of their own after McKenzie fails to hold onto a ball that would've put him in dangerous space to score. Possibly saw the hole and tried to go through it before he had the ball in his hands and with the weather getting very wet again, that's something you can't do.

44min: BLU 16-8 CHI

Chiefs fighting for territory after getting dominated in that area and McKenzie wins it for them with a low, hard drive to the sideline that bounces out just shy of the Blues 22m. The Blues don't help themselves with a knock on at the lineout so the Chiefs have a scrum 22m away from the Blues' tryline.

41min: BLU 16-8 CHI

BLU THREE! Blues immediately respond after Retallick coughs the ball up at kickoff. The Blues collect the knocked-on ball and Nepo Laulala is pinged at the breakdown for hands in the ruck. Easy three for Francis just 25m out.

HT: BLU 13-8 CHI

Halftime and the rain is really starting to come down now. Scrappy first half with a lot of handling errors from both sides but an electrifying final 10 minutes has brought some life to the game. It's still there to be won.

39min: BLU 13-8 CHI

CHI TRY! McKenzie's in! Another clever play from the Chiefs at the kickoff nabs them the ball back and they strike straight away! McKenzie joins the backline and once he gets the ball he sees two big forwards and a hole to run through. He pins his ears back from 40m out and he carves his way through to get it down in the corner. Brilliant. Cruden can't get the extras.

37min: BLU 13-3 CHI

BLU THREE! Blues happy to collect another three as Cane is penalised for playing at the ball at the breakdown off his feet. It's a big kick just inside the halfway line to the left but he's struck that beautifully and he's got it right this time.

34min: BLU 10-3 CHI

The Blues defence comes up big after the Chiefs win the ball back at kickoff and launch an attack. They pummel the line for 13 phases but can't get it done and the ball is turned over just metres from their tryline and they get a penalty to go with it! Francis thumps it downfield to take the pressure off.

31min: BLU 10-3 CHI

BLU TRY! Great setpiece off the scrum sets up Rieko Ioane! Ball snapped to the midfield for SBW who hits the line and takes two defenders and gets his offload off to Collins. Collins is wrapped up, quickly gets the ball back, Pulu with a short pass to his winger in a hole and Ioane is in. Francis with the extras.

29min: BLU 3-3 CHI

Another scrum coming after Lowe can't hold on to an interception. The chance came off a great linebreak from Faumuina in the middle of the field and as he goes to ground it's recycled quickly to the wing. Lowe is waiting and he pounces but cant' hold on. Blues scrum on the Chiefs 22m.

27min: BLU 3-3 CHI

Francis takes the pressure off the Blues with a great kick from his 22m which goes over McKenzie's head and bounces away to touch inside the Chiefs 22m.

25min: BLU 3-3 CHI

Faumuina is penalised at the scrum for collapsing and there's som jersey-tugging of the Blues in the Chiefs' celebrations afterwards and everyone gets involved. Ref pulls the captains in to tell their packs to cut it out.

24min: BLU 3-3 CHI

Another shocking handling error and this time it's McKenzie! James Lowe takes in a poor penalty kick from Francis that fails to go out on the full but his pass to his speedy fullback bounces off his hands onto the grass. Shocker from McKenzie really with noone around. Scrum to Blues inside the Chiefs 22m.

22min: BLU 3-3 CHI

Chiefs defence holds the Blues again as the hosts string multiple phases together going left and right but they can't make any good metres! Tuipolotu looks to get a run up onto the ball but he knocks it on on halfway. Chiefs scrum.

19min: BLU 3-3 CHI

Tim Nanai-Williams' night is over after another clever run from a quick 22m dropout recovery sees him hit the deck grabbing his ankle after he passes the ball. Tough loss for the Chiefs. Stevenson in.

17min: BLU 3-3 CHI

Piers Francis with a chance to put the Blues ahead but he misses the penalty! It's not overly difficult - 35m to the right but he hooks it badly.

15min: BLU 3-3 CHI

Chiefs with the first big opportunity as they attack the blindside off the scrum. It's a big skip pass to Lowe who's in space. He grubbers it back in field as a tackler comes flying in but the ball bounces much too deep. The drizzle is easing up again.

13min: BLU 3-3 CHI

Blues knock the ball on just outside their 22m off the kickoff and the Chiefs get a scrum for it.

11min: BLU 3-3 CHI

BLU THREE! Blues get the response they're looking for after the Chiefs are pinged for being offside near their 22m. It's right out in front and too good to turn down for Francis. Tim Nanai-Williams looks in trouble as he's got a heavily strapped ankle already following the strong run he made early in the match.

9min: BLU 0-3 CHI

Chiefs immediately on the attack again as Rieko Ioane hist the deck on his 10m line after taking in a big kick again but the Blues are slow to respond. Akira Ioane finally gets there but he's pinged for leaving his feet so the Chiefs opt for a lineout inside the Blues' 22 but the ball is stolen again! Worrying signs at lineout time already.

7min: BLU 0-3 CHI

CHI THREE! Chiefs are first on the board through a penalty to the smiling assassin! Blues are pinged for being offside on their 10m out front so it's a pretty straightforward 40m kick for McKenzie and he slots it. Bit of rain starting to come in.

4min: BLU 0-0 CHI

Chiefs coming back for a scrum after no advantage is made from the knock on - they'll be thankful they had advantage after a clearance kick from cruden on his 22m was charged down by Blues lock Scrafton. Good break by Nanai-Williams off the scrum sees the Chiefs into the Blues half.

2min: BLU 0-0 CHI

A poor kick that sails out on the full by Augustine Pulu and is brought back to the Chiefs' 40m but Luatua steals it back for the Blues at the lineout! The ball comes off and it goes down the line to the right wing but it's knocked on!

KICKOFF: BLU 0-0 CHI

WBO Heavyweight Champion Joseph Parker is tonight's ball boy and Eden Park make him welcome as he jogs out onto the pitch to hand over the ball to Cruden.

Aaron Cruden gets us underway in Auckland!

Blues' back five Piers Francis looks to evade Chiefs' first five Aaron Cruden.
Source: Photosport

PRE-GAME

The Chiefs have made three changes to their starting line-up for tonight's all-Kiwi Super Rugby derby with the Blues in Auckland.

Club veteran Liam Messam is back in the No.8 jumper, replacing rested Japanese Test skipper Michael Leitch.

Lachlan Boshier comes onto the bench in place of Messam.

Taranaki ace Johnny Fa'auli returns to the midfield after last month's suspension for a dangerous tackle, pushing All Black Anton Lienert-Brown from second-five to his preferred centre position.

Concussed trio Charlie Ngatai, Stephen Donald and Sam McNicol will all miss the Battle of the Bombays as they follow return-to-play protocols, while speedster Toni Pulu is nursing a hamstring injury.

The Chiefs, sitting in equal-second in the New Zealand conference, have won their last 11 fixtures against the Blues, who are all but eliminated from the Super Rugby finals' race.

A victory over their Auckland-based rivals would go a long way towards securing second in the conference and a trip to Australia instead of South Africa.

For the Blues, Piers Francis has been given the all clear to start despite leaving the field after a head knock against the Stormers last Saturday.

Francis was escorted off the field by medical staff early in the second half of his side's 30-22 loss to the Stormers in Cape Town after being hit by a swinging arm to the head by Shaun Treeby.

All Blacks lock Patrick Tuipulotu returns to the starting line-up with Michael Collins slotting in at fullback.

Charlie Faumuina gets another start at tight-head prop after a great outing against the Stormers, having a hand in two of the Blues' tries.

Blues coach Tana Umaga said his side is in for a tough and gruelling match having lost all their Super Rugby matches against New Zealand teams.

"This is our final derby game of the regular season and I know the team will want to produce their best performance of the season," said Umaga.

"We need to produce an 80-minute performance across the board and ensure we are disciplined in that approach."

The Blues sit at the bottom of the ladder in the New Zealand conference.

Super Rugby round 14 PICKS: Can the Blues muster some pride against the Chiefs in the Battle of the Bombays?

With only a few weeks of Super Rugby round robin action left, teams are fighting for form and wildcard spots for the quarter-finals - but are there a few upsets left in this crazy competition the 1 NEWS rugby oracles can predict?

How it works: 1 NEWS sports reporters will chip in their picks for matches involving New Zealand sides each round with each adding a little insight into the choice involving their side. A correct result will give them two points and a correct margin a bonus point!

Blues v Chiefs : Blues 1-12"Surely the Blues can snap their 11 match losing record against the Chiefs going back to 2011. Play-off pressure on the Chiefs whilst Blues are just playing for pride – as usual!"